The objective of this project is to increase our understanding of the role that alterations of myocardial diastolic elasticity effects in patients with hypertrophy and congestive heart failure. The specific objectives are to a) define whether abnormalities of myocardial diastolic elasticity occur in these patients, b) assess whether abnormalities of elasticity occur prior to the development of contractile abnormalities, c) ascertain whether abnormalities of elasticity without contractile abnormalities can produce congestive heart failure, d) quantify the extent to which various degrees of hypertrophy and the degree of pressure or volume overload alter myocardial elasticity. This will be accomplished by an angiographic study of left ventricular function in patients with pressure volume overload. Analyses will be performed on a computer based image system which has been developed be one of the co-investigators. Using a frame by frame biplane analysis of left ventriculograms with simultaneous left ventricular pressures, indices of myocardial contractile performance and myocardial elasticity will be defined. By determining the frequency of abnormal diastolic function in patients with normal and depressed contractile function, a comprehension of the relationship between diastolic elasticity and contractile function will be developed. Furthermore, it will be determined whether the extent of overload and hypertrophy contribute to abnormalities of diastolic elasticity. It is hoped that these studies will increase our understanding of myocardial diastolic elasticity and contribute to more rational management of patients with hypertrophy and congestive heart failure in the future.